Tuesday, 17 May 2016

A sonic exploration of the
boundaries that separate worlds, Berlin's Grimrik blend amazing
synthwork with a cosmic sense of scope. The 80's retro sounds evoke
Vangelis and Moroder, while the dark atmospherics harken back to the
likes of Wongraven and era I Mortiis. The end result id not quite
dungeon music and not quite sci-fi fantasy. It is Tolkein meets
Lovecraft. The endless unfathomable void of space being harnessed
atop the tower of Isengard.

In one sense it is closer to
progressive electronics of Wendy Carlos and the Krautrock of
Tangerine Dream as much as the atmospheric synthesizers of the black
metal offshoot projects of the 90s. Songs such as 'Im Nebel', 'Der
erste Kontakt', 'Vor Dem Sprung', 'Vorsichtige
Schritte', and 'Letzte Zweifel' are delicate yet malevolent ambient
pieces that draw the listener into a near trance of swirling and
droning synths over which light melodies play in the cavernous space
created. While the likes of 'Teleportiert (Reprise)', 'Im freien Fall
(album version)', and 'Erlösung' add subtle beats and in the case of
the final track some epic guitar work to create tracks with a little
more drive and mass appeal that will entice more than just fans of
ambient music.

In terms of the production it is quite retro
in its flavours but still perfectly mixed and presented for a modern
listener. The 80s synth sounds and electronic drums in particular
sound like they have been pulled straight from a fantasy soundtrack.
However it doesn't sound cheap or low-fi. If this was an 80s fantasy
soundtrack it would have been a big budget one. And that's why this
album sounds fresh and engaging.

This is a stunning album
that anyone into progressive electronics, krautrock, dark ambient or
dungeon music will not fail to enjoy. The deep level of skill in the
songwriting and attention to detail in its execution make this a
deeply gratifying listening experience.